Pakistan 88-4 at lunch on day 2, 1st test vs. New Zealand

Dhaka – Colin de Grandhomme and Jeet Raval made immediate impacts in their debut tests as New Zealand reduced Pakistan to 88-4 at lunch Friday on the second day of the first test.Allrounder de Grandhomme claimed the wickets of Azhar Ali (15), Babar Azam (7) and Younis Khan (2) to arrest Pakistan’s solid beginning in a match in which the entire first day was lost to rain.Raval took slip catches from Tim Southee’s bowling to remove Sami Aslam (19) and from de Grandhomme’s to dismiss Younis as Pakistan slipped from 53-1 to 56-4 before Misbah-ul-Haq (15) and Asad Shafiq (16) guided them to lunch,UNB News Agency Reported.The 30-year-old de Grandhomme, picked ahead of Jimmy Neesham in the allrounder’s role, led a fightback by the New Zealand attack after a first hour in which it seemed to have squandered the new ball on winning the toss.Southee bowled only four overs in a wayward first spell but returned to join de Grandhomme in removing the Pakistan top-order. He had 1-8 from 10 overs at lunch and de Grandhomme had 3-23.The toss, which wasn’t made on the first day because of rain, seemed likely to be influential on the second day and both teams indicated they would bowl first. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson won the toss and gave his bowlers first use of a pitch at Hagley Oval which was soft and green, promising seam movement while overhead condition promoted swing.Southee’s strong appeal for lbw against Aslam from the last ball of the first over was turned down, and he encouraged Williamson to review the decision. The review was wasted when replays showed the ball was clearly missing leg stump.De Grandhomme joined the attack in the ninth over and soon had success. He drew Azhar into a drive in the 13th over and the ball cut back, passing between bat and pad, striking off stump and giving de Grandhomme his first test wicket.The other newcomer in the New Zealand lineup – spinner Todd Astle,who is playing his second test and his first since 2012 – put down a sharp chance in the gully from Babar Azam off de Grandhomme in the 17th over.Southee returned and immediately struck a tighter line, luring Aslam into a drive and finding an outside edge which flew to Raval at
second slip. De Grandhomme then struck again, inducing Babar to drive and edge a catch to Ross Taylor at first slip.Pakistan plunged into further trouble when Younis, the backbone of its batting lineup, fell three runs later. He was also encouraged to drive at de Grandhomme and the ball flew again to Raval, leaving Pakistan 56-4.